This invention relates to electrodeposition and coating systems for workpieces in general and, more particularly, to a workpiece carrier for a work carrier unit.
In electrodeposition systems the workpiece to be coated is moved through a series of work stations wherein the body may be immersed or subjected to high pressure spray for the purpsoes of prerinsing the workpiece prior to being immersed in a phosphating or electropainting solution wherein a protective coating is applied to the body. Thereafter, the workpiece is moved to a heating or baking oven for drying and curing the finish or protective coating. One such electrodeposition system is disclosed in our Patent Application Ser. No. 551,564 entitled "Electrodeposition Systems and Method Therefor." This application illustrates an electrodeposition system which minimizes the dragout of fluid from one work station to another and permits a uniform protective and sufficiently heavy coating of painted material to be applied to the under and over surfaces of the workpiece. In this system the workpiece is progressively moved through a plurality of work processing stations arranged in a predetermined sequence. The stations may include spray and immersion tanks, postrinse tanks, an electropainting tank and baking oven cells.
The present invention is an improvement to the invention disclosed in the above-identified patent application.
It is an object of the present invention to further minimize the dragout of fluid from one work processing station to another.
A further object of the present invention is to provide means for increasing the air flow over the workpiece after it is removed from the various spray and immersion tanks or while it is in a heating cell to rapidly cure the electropainted protective coating placed thereon, to improve the reaction time during which it takes the coating to cure and to generally shorten the overall processing times.
Accordingly the invention comprises a container comprising a bottom and walls extending therefrom forming a volume having an opening opposite from said bottom; and means for enclosing the volume, the enclosing means including means for supporting and suspending a workpiece within the enclosed volume apart from the walls and the bottom and means for circulating the heated air within said enclosed volume including an axial or radial flow fan.
Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.